In support of a watershed restoration initiative in Guanica Bay, researchers from the National Centers for Coastal Ocean Science released new shallow-water (less than 30 meters deep) sea floor habitat maps for the Guanica Bay/La Parguera region and Finca Belvedere Natural Reserve in the southwest part of the island.

The maps will support ongoing management of Puerto Rico’s Marine Protected Areas and priority watersheds. The maps and data mark an improvement over NOAA’s previous maps because they contain more detailed habitat descriptions, higher resolution maps, and more recent aerial images. All of these improvements aid regional managers in directing conservation efforts.